Crime
Dutch Journalist Exposes Heineken’s Corruption In Nigeria, Others
Dutch investigative journalist, Oliver Beerman has once again turned the spotlight on Heineken’s controversial business operations across Africa, alleging a history of corruption, unethical marketing, and exploitation in his 2019 book The Dark Side of Heineken’s African Beer Empire.
During a book reading event in Abuja on Saturday, Beerman shared insights from his six-year investigation into the brewing giant’s activities in 13 African countries, including Nigeria.
The book paints a damning picture of Heineken’s conduct in the region, with Beerman accusing the company of engaging in practices that undermine local brewers, collaborating with authoritarian regimes, and exploiting weak governance to bypass ethical standards.
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“Unlike in Western markets, where regulations are stricter, Heineken has operated with far more freedom in Africa,” Beerman stated.
He pointed to the company’s use of marketing tactics disguised as Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), such as funding schools in Nigeria’s Enugu state, where the buildings are emblazoned with the Heineken logo and painted in the company’s colors.
“This should be CSR, but in this case, it is another form of advertisement,” Beerman explained.
Beerman also revealed that many African consumers are unaware that brands they consider local—such as Gulder, Star Radler, and Primus—are actually brewed by Heineken.
He highlighted the company’s strategy of creating the illusion of local identity, such as printing the Congolese flag on bottles sold in the Democratic Republic of Congo, while the profits ultimately flow to Heineken’s shareholders abroad.
“They make the product look national, but in the end, the profits go to Heineken outside the country,” Beerman added.
Nigeria, according to Beerman, is by far Heineken’s most important market in Africa, contributing nearly half of the company’s turnover on the continent.
“Nigeria represents half of Heineken’s total turnover in Africa,” Beerman stated. “Lagos, the economic capital, is the heart of a conurbation that 20 million people call home. Nigeria as a whole is more than 200 million strong.”
But the journalist’s findings also expose a darker side to Heineken’s operations. Beerman uncovered a marketing campaign orchestrated by Heineken Nigeria’s CEO, Festus Odimegwu, that allegedly involved the use of sex workers to promote Heineken products.
“In Nigeria, the upper and middle classes drink in clubs without prostitution, but poor people go to bars where you pay 2,000 naira (around $10 at the time) to sleep with a woman,” Beerman recounted.
“So it came to pass that the company designated 500 well-frequented bars as so-called hot spots, where young women had to promote the beer.
“When I ask if they were also encouraged to sleep with the clients, Odimegwu’s eyes grow large as he looks at me, ‘What kind of question is that? Of course, they are prostitutes.’”
When Beerman reached out to Heineken for comment, executives defended the company’s past actions, stating that ethical concerns were not a priority at the time.
“You are looking at the past with eyes of now. Back then, ethical questions were not as important as the present,” Beerman quoted the executives as saying.
However, Beerman countered, “I show in the book that already in the 1990s, people who were already thinking of business ethics had begun asking Heineken questions about some of its practices.”
Beerman’s findings have sparked renewed calls for greater corporate accountability in Africa, where multinational companies are often able to operate with little oversight.
A couple, Baba Sule Abubakar Sadiq and Hafsat Kabir Lawal, along with two accomplices, Abdullahi Bala and Ladani Akindele, have been arraigned before Justice Amina Bello of the Kaduna State High Court on charges of fraud, money laundering, and stealing totaling N197,750,000.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) brought the defendants before the court on Monday, March 9, 2025, on a six-count charge.
They are accused of conspiring to defraud victims by impersonating the wife of the Katsina State Governor, Fatima Dikko Radda, and offering fake foreign exchange deals.
According to the EFCC, Hafsat Kabir Lawal allegedly posed as the Katsina First Lady to lure victims into fraudulent currency exchange transactions.
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Using SIM cards registered under the name “Fatima Dikko Radda” on True Caller, she reportedly contacted a bureau de change operator, Aminu Usman, and convinced him to transfer N89 million in exchange for $53,300.
Investigators further revealed that another victim was defrauded of N108 million under a similar scheme involving a supposed exchange of $118,300.
The funds were allegedly deposited into the bank account of the third defendant, Abdullahi Bala, before being laundered and shared among the conspirators.
Hafsat’s husband, Sadiq, is accused of providing the SIM cards used in the fraud. He allegedly enlisted the help of Ladani Akindele, a former bank colleague, to secure the contact details of Unity Bank Chairman Hafiz Bashir. The contact was then used to gain the trust of the victims.
When the charges were read, all four defendants pleaded not guilty. Prosecution counsel Bright C. Ogbonna requested a trial date and urged the court to remand them in a correctional facility.
Defense counsels, led by M.S. Katu (SAN), argued for bail, stating they had already filed applications.
However, the prosecution opposed the requests, stating that the applications were not yet ready for hearing. When the defense requested an oral bail application, Justice Bello ruled in favor of the prosecution and ordered the defendants to remain in custody.
The case was adjourned to March 17, 2025, for the hearing of bail applications.
The suspects were initially arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS) before being handed over to the EFCC when the case was determined to be financial in nature.
The EFCC has vowed to ensure that justice is served in the case, emphasizing the need for vigilance against fraudulent schemes involving high-profile impersonation.
A Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Wuse Zone 6, Abuja, has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of controversial social media activist, Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), over allegations of criminal defamation.
The arrest order, issued on Thursday by Magistrate Emmanuel Iyana, follows a criminal defamation case brought against VDM by renowned gospel singer Mercy Chinwo.
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The court mandated the Nigeria Police Force and other law enforcement agencies to apprehend the activist and present him before the court to face the allegations.
VDM was accused of making defamatory statements about Chinwo on social media, alleging her involvement in a contractual dispute and the diversion of $345,000 linked to her former record label boss, Ezekiel Onyedikachukwu, also known as Eezee Tee.
Chinwo, who denied the claims, presented documentary evidence—including emails and payment receipts—to support her innocence.
Despite being summoned by the court to appear on March 5, VDM failed to honor the directive.
His counsel, Mr. Deji Adeyanju, pleaded with the court to allow him to produce his client at the next adjourned date, but the magistrate declined and upheld the arrest order.
The prosecution, led by Mr. Pelumi Olajengbesi, argued that VDM’s actions violated Section 391 of the Penal Code and Section 24(1)(B) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act 2015.
In addition to the criminal case, Chinwo has also filed a separate N1.1 billion lawsuit against VDM at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
She is seeking a court order compelling him to retract his statements, delete all defamatory posts, and issue a public apology.
With the rise of fraudulent investment schemes preying on unsuspecting Nigerians, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has issued a strong warning about the activities of 58 unregistered companies defrauding citizens under the guise of investment opportunities.
In a statement on Tuesday, the EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, revealed that these companies operate without approval from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) or the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), making their activities illegal.
The anti-graft agency disclosed that legal action has already been taken against several of these entities, with five convictions secured and another five suspects pleading guilty while awaiting further judicial proceedings.
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Many more cases are still pending arraignment.
“To protect Nigerians from financial exploitation, the EFCC is drawing public attention to 58 companies masquerading as investment firms but deceiving innocent investors,” the statement read.
According to the EFCC, the following companies have been identified as fraudulent investment platforms: Wales Kingdom Capital, Bethseida Group of Companies, AQM Capital Limited, Titan Multibusiness Investment Limited, Brickwall Global Investment Limited, Farmforte Limited & Agro Partnership Tech, Green Eagles Agribusiness Solution Limited, Richfield Multiconcepts Limited, Forte Asset Management Limited, Biss Networks Nigeria Limited, S Mobile Netzone Limited, Pristine Mobile Network, Letsfarm Integrated Services, Bara Finance & Investment Limited, Vicampro Farms Limited, Brooks Network Limited, Gas Station Supply Services Limited, Brass & Books Limited,
Others includes; Annexation Biz Concept & Maitanbuwal Global Ventures, Crowdyvest Limited, Jadek Agro Connect Limited, Adeeva Capital Limited, Oxford International Group & Oxford Gold Integrated, Skapomah Global Limited, MBA Trading & Capital Investment Limited, TRJ Company Limited, Farm4Me Agriculture Limited, Quintessential Investment Company, Adeprinz Global Enterprises, Rockstar Establishment Limited, SU.Global Investment, Citi Trust Funding PLC, Farm Buddy, Eatrich 369 Farms & Food, Globertrot Farmsponsors Nigeria Limited, Farm Sponsors Limited, Cititrust Credit Limited, Farmfunded Agroservices Limited, Adamakin Investment & Works Limited, Cititrust Holding PLC, Green Eagles Agribusiness Solutions Limited, Chinmark Homes & Shelters Limited, Emerald Farms & Consultant Limited, Ovaioza Farm Produce Storage Limited,
Additionally, Farm 360 & Agriculture Company, Requid Technologies Limited, West Agro Agriculture & Food Processing Limited, NISL Ventures Limited & Estate of Laolu Martins, XY Connect Investment Limited, River Branch Unique Investment Limited, Hallmark Capital Limited, CJC Markets Limited, Crowd One Investment, Farmkart Foods Limited, KD Likemind Stakeholders Limited, Holibiz Finance Limited, Ifeanyi Okpe Oil & Gas Services, Servapps Nigeria Limited were also listed.
The EFCC warned that these firms lure investors with promises of unrealistic returns, only to defraud them.
Nigerians were urged to verify investment opportunities with the CBN and SEC before committing funds.
The commission also encouraged victims of these schemes to come forward with complaints, assuring them that efforts were ongoing to recover lost funds where possible.
“The EFCC remains committed to creating a safe and corruption-free financial environment. We strongly advise the public to conduct due diligence before investing in any financial scheme,” the statement concluded.
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